Is Your Pre-Employment Test Working?

I am often asked the question, how do you know pre employment tests work? Here’s how to tell:

Before you purchase a test, ask for and review the validation. Validation is the statistical proof that the test measures what it says it does and does not have any adverse impact on any of the protected groups. To paraphrase Tom Cruise, “Show me the numbers!” Good validation will show at least a sample size of 100 people or more. Any less and the numbers will not hold up in court. Smaller sample sizes like “Your 10 best” will put your company at risk should the EEOC challenge you in court.

Be sure that what is being measured is relevant to the job you are trying to fill. This is usually done through ajob analysis. If the job analysis describes a position that is different from how your company does that job, then the test is not relevant to your position.

Ultimately, the best determination is to use the pre employment test for 6 months. At the end of that period, evaluate the people you hired using the assessment. Are they performing better than the employees you hired without the assessment? If they are, then the test works for you and your company. Keep using the assessment and enjoy the money and time you save by hiring the right person the first time.

If you would like to discuss whether or not your pre employment testing is working with the author, he can be reached at Employee Selection & Development, Inc. 800-947-5678 or president@employeeselect.com.

About the Author

Albert (Bert) Zinkand, President of Employee Selection and Development, Inc. has over 30 years of management, employee testing and development experience in large and small corporations. He began his career with Ford Motor Company, ultimately becoming the Midwest Regional Operations Manager of the Lincoln Mercury Division. He led the turnaround of over 20 automotive dealerships and district organizations, and served on Edsel Ford’s staff. Subsequently, Mr. Zinkand was recruited to accomplish the successful turnaround and management of a Nashville based Advertising and Production Company, which led to a favorable acquisition of that firm by a large corporation.As a result of his successful use of personality and skills testing in management and turnaround endeavors, Mr. Zinkand’s interests turned to the employment testing industry. As Manager and Director of Craft Systems, Inc., he grew the company tenfold. This experience led to his collaboration with numerous industrial psychologists and employment test publishers on many of the industry’s leading employee assessments. Mr. Zinkand founded Employee Selection and Development, Inc. in 1997 and has grown the Company to over 600 clients worldwide. Albert Zinkand is a frequent speaker at industrial conferences, and is active in corporate consulting on use of competency, personality and skills testing to improve bottom-line profits.